Davis: Winners And Losers From U.S.-Trinidad.
By: Noah Davis (Goal.Com).
Noah Davis breaks down who came out on top and on bottom after the U.S.'s 3-0 win over T&T.
On the strength of a Jozy Altidore hat trick and three assists from Landon Donovan, the United States Men's National Team waltzed out of Nashville, Tennessee with a 3-0 victory over an overmatched Trinidad and Tobago in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. It was a deserved scoreline for Bob Bradley's squad, which suffered a setback over the weekend with a 2-2 draw in El Salvador. The win leaves the U.S. in first place of the group on seven points, one ahead of Costa Rica, and in a good spot to secure passage to South Africa.
Winners
Brian Ching: If, after watching last night's performance, you still don't think the Houston Dynamo forward deserves a spot in the Starting XI, you should consider taking up another sport. I hear the Connecticut women's basketball team is having an epic season. Altidore got the goals, Donovan the assists, but -- as usual -- Ching did the hard work to make it all happen. His header on Carlos Bocanegra's long ball was a thing of beauty, dropping perfectly to Donovan who took two touches and slotted it across for Altidore's first goal. Throughout the match, Ching (along with Pablo Mastroeni) did the little things the U.S. needs to win. Call him the Shane Battier of the American team, the No Stats All-Star. And keep him on the pitch.
Carlos Edwards: T and T struggled throughout but Edwards more than held his own on the right flank. He abused DaMarcus Beasley a handful of times and presented one of his team's few threats on the American goal. The Sunderland man helped on defense as well, although the one blemish on his night came midway through the first half when he succumbed to pressure from Altidore and coughed up the ball just outside the T and T box. The chance came to nothing, however, and Edwards walked away with his head held high.
Donovan as Distributor: With three assists on Wednesday and one against Mexico in February, the U.S.'s all-time leading scorer now has four helpers in his last three National Team games (and 35 in his career). His passing vision, always good, continues to improve as he matures as a player. On the ball, Donovan has a calmness about him that allows the attacker to pick his spots and deliver the ball with pinpoint accuracy. If Bradley continues the "Donovan as left midfielder" experiment, his star should find the space he needs to work.
The Backheel: Did I see what I think I did? Could it be? Yes, I believe the team showed a bit of attacking flair in Nashville. While the Americans continue to love the long ball, they also demonstrated a willingness to experiment with the backheel and other creativity. On the right, Clint Dempsey and Frankie Hejduk worked these exchanges successfully multiple times, while Michael Bradley had a couple pretty touches in the middle. While the results weren't there -- and the opponent was off its game -- it's nice to see some confidence and inventiveness in the attacking game.
Losers
Jonathan Bornsetein/Heath Pearce: The days of the pair platooning at left back look to be over. While Beasley didn't do enough to show he's the answer (see: Edwards, Carlos) the move shows Bradley's willingness to experiment at the position, something he's been reluctant to do previously. With Jonathan Spector and Jay DeMerit rounding into shape, the American coach now has options. Given Oguchi Onyewu's struggles at centerback last night, moving Carlos Bocanegra over probably isn't the solution, but how about giving the Energizer Bunny that is Hedjuk a shot and putting Spector or Marvell Wynne at right back? The possibilities are endless. They don't include Bornstein or Pearce, however.
Anthony Wolfe: Of all the Soca Warriors' failings, Wolfe's were the most obvious. The defender flubbed multiple touches and was consistently beaten by almost every American who came into his territory. The U.S. spent most of the night running down the left flank essentially unimpeded -- both the first goal and Altidore's missed tap in shortly after started there -- and you can look at the right back as the reason why. T and T wasn't winning this match, but Wolfe's play did much to seal that fate. (One question: Will Donovan look as good playing left midfielder against a better defender?)
Donovan as Goal Scorer: After being shut out again on Wednesday night, Donovan has just three tallies for the U.S. National Team since the beginning of 2008. Not a bad total, but you might expect more from the skilled attacker. As referenced above, he's morphing into a distributor -- and succeeding in the role -- but a bit more selfishness could be in order for the U.S.'s best finisher.
A Sense of Urgency: It's simple: When you go up 1-0 early and are dominating, you need to put another ball into the net and finish the job. You could argue the Americans were unlucky not to get another tally in the first half, but the point is that they didn't. To come out flat after halftime and let T and T dictate play for a bit is even more inexcusable. After watching the Red, White, and Blue let up against Mexico after Rafael Marquez's red card and the general lack of passion against El Salvador, you have to wonder about the U.S.'s proverbial killer instinct.
